Suspended kite string rider



March 19, 1957 Filed Aug. 9, '1955 R. D. FLINT ETA!- SUSPENDED KITE STRING RIDER 2- Sheets-Sheet 1 Ralph D. F lim Rudolph Borg/in INVENTORS March 19, 1957 R. D. FL l NT ETAL SUSPENDED KITE STRING RIDER 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1955 Ralph 0. Flint Rudolph Borg/in INVENTORS BY Wynn 3M2 "new.

United States Patent SUSPENDED KITE STRING RIDER Ralph D. Flint, Wareham, and Rudolph Borglin, Natick,

Mass., assignors of one-third to Charles A. Kane, Melrose, Mass.

Application August 9, 1955, Serial No. 527,200

Claims. (Cl. 244-155) Thi invention relates to amusement devices, and particularly to a rider for a suspended string, the string being attached to a kite, balloon or other object elevated above the ground a considerable distance.

An object of this invention is to provide a rider combining the functions of being carried up the string by the prevailing wind, striking a stop on the string which triggers the collapse of the wings and loss of the pay load which may be a parachute supported advertisement or other object, whereby with the collapse of the wings, the rider is gravity lowered down the string.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a rider with certain structural refinements including a special arrangement for holding the wings in the extended, operative position and for releasing them for return in response to actuation of a push rod on the rider.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rider moving up a suspended string;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the rider returning after having contacted the trigger stop on the string;

Figure 3 is a top view of the rider in such position that the wings are extended for presenting an adequate surface area to the prevailing wind in order that the dynamic pressure thereon moves the rider up the string;

Figure 4 is a side view of the rider in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 4 and in the direction of the arrows.

A string 10 is made secure at one end near the ground, and the other end is fastened to a higher object, such as a balloon, kite or even a stationary object, such as a building or tree. There is a stop 12 secured to the string 10 at a selected position on the length of the string. This stop functions to trigger a portion of the rider 14 which is held captive on the string.

Rider 14 consists of a base 16 which is elongated and having an upper and lower surface from which parts depend and rise. Extending upwardly from the top surface of base 16 are means for suspending and holding captive the rider 14 on string 10. The means consist of a front and rear generally U-shaped mounting bracket 20 and 22, respectively, the bracket 20 having a concave roller 26 in it on which the string 10 seats, while the bracket 22 has a concave roller 24 on which string 10 is also mounted. Such rollers tend to hold the rider 14 suspended centrally inasmuch as the rollers while they are in operation constantly apply components of force to the string that react through the brackets 20 and 22 tending to center the string 10 in the rollers at all times. In order to maintain the roller bearings lubricated, felt ice washers impregnated with a lubricant are applied at the ends of the rollers.

A square support is fixed to the bottom surface of the base 16 and has parts that project laterally thereof. Wings 32 and 34 are hingedly connected to the sides of depending support 30. These wings should be of lightweight construction, and therefore, it is preferred that they each be made of a wire frame 36 covered with paper, silk, plastic or other suitable material. In this way, the hinge connection between each wing and the sides of the support 30 may be made in a simple manner, that is, by providing eyes 38 and 39 which embrace the root part of the frame 36 for wing 32. An identical construction is used in hingedly connecting the wing 34 to the opposite side of the depending support 30.

A pair of right angular arms 40 and 42 are used as a portion of the means for holding the wings in the extended, operative position. Arm 40 has one end fixed to the frame 36 of wing 32 between eyes 38 and 39. Arm 42 is similarly fixed to wing 34, and both arms are made sufficiently long so that when the wings are in the extendedposition, their confronting ends overlap a considerable amount. The overlapped parts of these arms are disposed in a laterally opening recess 44 which is formed in bracket 46. This bracket is welded or otherwise fixed to the bottom surface of base 16 and depends therefrom in juxtaposition to the support 30. Hasp 48 is pivoted at one end to the bracket 46 and has the opposite end passed through an aperture 50 in base 16 so that the angulated outer end 52 is available on the top surface of the base 16. When the hasp 48 is in the recess closing position (Figure 4), the overlapped portions of arms 40 and 42 are held captive in the recess 44. This means that the wings 32 and 34 are held in the extended position at this time. In order to releasably hold hasp 48 in the locked position, a keeper 58 is rotatably mounted on pin 60 that extends through the base 16. This keeper has an arm 62 projecting laterally therefrom, arm 62 having a bight portion 64 on it. A portion of keeper 58 is slidable under the angulated end 52 of the hasp 48 holding the hasp in the lock position. When keeper 58 is rotated about its pivot axis, the hasp is separated from the angulated end 52 allowing the hasp 48 to be separated from recess 44. Then, the wings 32 and 34 are free to be hingedly moved by air pressure inasmuch as there is no restraint oifered to the arms 40 and 42.

A load, such as an advertisement of one form or another and/or a parachute 70 is releasably attached to the base 16 by means of a ring 72 having an arm 74 extending therethrough. This arm is right angmlar in configuration, having a portion generally parallel to base 16 which passes through aligned openings in a U-shaped bracket 76, the latter being fixed to the bottom surface of base 16. Ring 72 is located between the legs of the bracket 76 when it is held in place. The other portion of the right angular arm 74 passes through an aperture 78 in the base 16 and is secured to a push rod 80.

Push rod 80 has a bumper 82 at the front end thereof and is mounted in aligned bearings 83, 84 and 85, respectively, each of which is fixed to the top surface of base 16. Ann 74 is suitably fixed to this push rod 80, one suggested mode of fixing the arm 74 in place being a collar 86 having a setscrew 88 in it whereby it may be adjusted on the push rod 80 so that the stroke of arm 74 is regulated. An adjustable stop 90 is secured to push rod 80 and consists of a collar with a setscrew in it. The function of stop 90 is to contact the bight 64 of arm 62 in order to pivotally actuate it for the release of the hasp 48, as described previously. A spring 92 secured at one end to the base 16 or the support 30 and at the other end to the keeper 58 opposes the movement of the keeper in one direction and tends yieldingly to retain the keeper engaged with t e hasp. A final stop 94 adjustably mounted on the push rod 89 isadapted to contact one of the bearings, for example, bearing 85, in order to limit the travelof the push rod 80. u In operation, aload, for example, parachute70, is attached to the arm 74 and the wings 32 and 34 are moved to the extended position (Figure '1). Hasp 48 closes the recess'44 with the arms 46 and 42 in it, and this-hasp is held in place by means of the keeper 58. When the rider 14 is exposed to the prevailing wind, it is moved up the string 10, the rider being guided on the string 1!} by means of the rollers 24 and 26 and also by the vertical rotary guide posts 99'and1-90 adjacent to bracket 22 and guide posts E91 and 102 mounted adjacenttothe bracket Zfi'onbase 16- When rider 14 reaches trigger stop 12, the bumper 82 of push rod 8% contacts stop 12. Due to the momenturn'cf the rider l4, push rod sen moved axially, bringing stop 90 into contact with arm 62 of: keeper and at the same time, separatingai-"m 74 from ring 72. 'This separation of parts permits parachute 70 to drop. Rotation of keeper'58 separates it from the angulated end 52 of the hasp 48. The abrupt stop of the rider 14 causes wings 32 and34 to be hingedly actuated, and the prevailing wind aids in the rriovement of wings 32 and 34; Accordingly, since the wings are no icnger extended, the rider 14 begins to descend string 10 as required by the force of gravity. When rider 14 reaches a position near ground level, it may be reloaded and sent up the string 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the.

principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and tie-- marily useful as a toy or as an advertising medium;

Other. uses as occur to the purchaser may be made of the invention. For example, the rider string may be placed over a body of'water and'inste'ad 'o'f having a lbad'rleased when the trigger is struck, a tow linehaving avfishlure may be secured to the rider for travel through the water as the rider moves in its path of travel.

What is claimed as new is as follows: 7

l. A suspended string rider comprising a base, means including rollers for suspending said base from a string,

a support secured to said base, a pair of wings, means hingedly securing said wingsto said support and on opposite sides thereof, a hasp, a bracket secured to said base and having said haspsecured thereto, saidibrackethaving a laterally opening recess, arms secured to said .Wings and adapted to be held in said recess by said hasp to hold said wings in extended position relative to said. base, a keeper carried by said base, said keeper being engageable with said hasp to hold said hasp releasably in the arm retaining position, a push rod carried by said base, and means on said push rod for actuating said keeper to release said hasp in response to movement of said push rod.

2. The rider of claim 1 wherein said base has string guides carried thereby adjacent to'said rollers.

3. The rider of claim 1' together with a string secured to said keeper yieldingly opposing the movement of said keeper in one direction and yieldingly retaining said keeper in engagement with said hasp.

4. The suspended string rider 05 claim 1 wherein said means on said push rod for actuating said keeper comprise a stop on said push rod, and means fastening said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSv 1,172,198 Cornell Feb. 15, 1916 1,655,794 Moore Jan. 10, 1928 2,041,233 Cutshall May 19, 1936 x irnn MM 

